Apparatus for steaming tobacco



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1. s. G. PLINTOM.

APPARATUS FOR STEAMING TOBAUUO. No. 331,696 Patented Dec. 1, 1885;

(No Model 2 Shets-Sheet 2. S. G. PLINTOM.

APPARATUS FOR STEAMING TOBACCO.

Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT @rrinn.

SAMYVEL G. FLINTOH, OF ORANGE FACTORY, NORTH CAROLINA.

APPARATUS FOR STEAMING TOBACCO.

tJiECII-ICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nd. 331,696, dated December 1. 1885.

Application filed May 9, 1885. Serial No. 164,988. (No model.)

I 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMWEL G. FLINTOM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Orange Factory, in the county of Durham and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Steaming Tobacco; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which-- My invention relates to that class of machines or apparatus which are designed to steam the dried tobacco in order to bring it to a pliant state to adapt it for stripping and working in general; and my invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus which will bring the driest tobacco into a pliant statein from fifteen to twenty-fivemiuutes without injuring the same in quality or color in the slightest degree.

My invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts of an ap paratus for steaming tobacco, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing my improved apparatus in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. 1

The same letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A represents the boiler, which may be of any suitable construction, and which is of a size sufficient to furnish the requisite amount of steam.

B indicates the service-pipe, which is provided at a point near where it enters the boiler with the valve 22, which regulates the amount of steam passing through said pipe from the boiler. The lower section of the servicepipe is provided at its underside at b with a wasteaperture, which is closed by a screw-plug, b for the purpose hereinafter set forth. The service-pipe connects at a point just outside of the building 0 with the central pipe, D,

which extends within the building, and has at its upperside the perforations d, and is provided at a point just within the building with a valve, 01. The inner end of this per forated pipe D communicates centrally with a similar perforated pipe, E, which extends across the building at right angles to the pipe D and communicates at each end with the perforated pipes E, which extend, preferably, parallel with the central pipe, D, with their free ends projecting outside of the building, the said ends being provided at a point just outside of the building with the valves f, while the pipe E is provided with the valves 6' e, placed one on each side of the point where the main pipe D communicates with the pipe E. The steam from the boiler passes through the servicepipe B into the central perforated pipe, D, the valve 15 regulating the amount of steam passing from the boiler through the service pipe. The steam then circulates through the several perforated pipes E F F, a certain amount escaping through the perforations of each pipe, the perforations in the said pipes increasing in size from the point where the central pipe enters the building, as clearly shown in the drawings, the object of this arrangement beingthat as the steam becomes weaker a larger amount will be permitted to escape from the pipes, thereby equalizing the effect produced by the steam throughout the several parts of the building. By means of the valves 6 a greater amount of steam may be introduced into one side of the building than the other, so that if the tobacco is drier in one end or side of the building than the other, by openingione of these valves to a greater extent than the other a greater amount of steam may be introduced into this side of the building, thus steaming all of the tobacco in the same length of time. Above the perforations of the several pipes are suspended or supported at a suitable distance thepiates or bars G, against which the steam strikes when it first issues from the perforations, and which serve to dis tribute the steam equally through the entire area of the building, so as not to damage or change the quality or color of fine yellow tobacco, which has been a great objection with the steam apparatus heretofore in use. When the boiler stops working, the steam which is left in the pipes will condense, and to enable the water thus condensed to escape I remove the screw-plug b in the under side of the lower section of the service-pipe, thereby enabling the water to run out through the opening I), while the valvesfat the outer ends of the side pipes, F, may be also opened for the same purpose. If a greater amount of steam is let into the perforated pipes than will escape through their perforations, the valve f may be opened to the requisite extent to permit the surplus steam to escape.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improved apparatus will be readily understood without requiring further explanation.

It will be seen that by the use of my improved apparatus the driest tobacco may be brought into a good pliant condition in from fifteen to twenty-five minutes,without injuring its quality or color in the slightest degree, no matter how dry the tobacco may be or how cold the weather.

The amount of steam entering the building may be regulated through the valve on the service-pipe, according to the condition of the tobacco and the state of the weather, thereby enabling the farmer to strip his tobacco and prepare it for the market through the winter months,when it is impossible to do much outdoor work, and when he can command a good price for the same, being especially useful for manufacturers of plug-tobacco.

I am aware that it is not new to steam tobacco by the use of perforated pipes, and I do not claim such construction, broadly; but

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In an apparatus for steaming tobacco, the combination, with the boiler and supplypipe, of the central and auxiliary perforated pipes having the perforations increasing in size from the point where the central pipe entersthe building, and the equalizing plates or bars arranged above the graduated perforations of the said perforated pipes, as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for steaming tobacco, the combination, with the boiler and supplypipe, of the central perforated pipe and the auxiliary perforated pipes having the valves arranged immediately one on each side of the point where the central pipejoins the auxiliary pipes, the perforations of the said perforated pipes increasing in size from the point where the central pipe enters the building, and the equalizing plates or bars arranged above the graduated perforations of the said perforated pipes, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for steaming tobacco, the combination, with the boiler, of the supplypipe having the valve and the condensedsteam outlet, the central perforated pipe, and the auxiliary perforated pipes having the valves arranged immediately on each side of the point where the central pipe joins the auxiliary pipes, and the equalizing plates or bars arranged above the perforations of said perforated pipes, substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for steaming tobacco, the combination, with the boiler and supplypipe, of the central and auxiliary perforated pipes having the perforations increasing in size from the point where the central pipe enters the building, as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus for steaming tobacco, the combination, with the boiler and supplypipe, of the central perforated pipe and the auxiliary perforated pipes having the perforations increasing in size in regular order from the point where the central pipe enters the building, as shown and described, and provided with the valves arranged immediately on each side of the point where the central pipe joins the auxiliary pipes, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMWEL G. FLINTOM.

Witnesses:

J AS. S. MANNING, J. P. ALBRIGHT. 

